The point, Steve, is you’re not meant to be parking at Manuka Oval

The Liberals Steve Doszpot is having a cry that his progress to corporate hospitality at Manuka Oval was impeded by every other idiot like him thinking he could just rock up in his car and be accommodated at an inner city locale:

Manuka Oval has played host to two international sporting events in the past
month and more are planned for the future but there is still no effective car parking plan. ACT Shadow Sport and Recreation Minister Steve Doszpot will today call on the government to develop a proper parking management plan, so that finding a car park near Manuka Oval during a big event will no longer be near impossible.

“The government was aware well in advance of the crowds that were expected to attend the recent international cricket matches at Manuka Oval, but yet no simple parking plans were put in place,” Mr Doszpot said.

“In fact the government’s only plan was to bring in additional parking inspectors to book cars that were parked contrary to current regulations.

“Whilst there were free bus services on offer, public transport is not always an option for tourists, families and residents of the area.

Maybe residents of the area could try, I don’t know, walking?

Your correspondent rode his bicycle to the PM’s XI and left a plastic bag covering the saddle. It was delightful and hassle free.

If all those who can take the free bus we imagine the available parking will be more than adequate for those who cannot.

“Your correspondent rode his bicycle to the PM’s XI and left a plastic bag covering the saddle. It was delightful and hassle free.”

Hmmm, did you ride said bicycle home or leave it at the ground?

And a lovely ride home it was. Much like the drive home for those in cars I imagine.

I’m going to do to you what people do to me all the time, JB, and say; I hope you weren’t drunk when you rode home?

I love riding a bike when tipsy, but I tend to stick to bike-paths. There is nothing nicer than the breeze and the noise of one’s own erratic breathing. But the road from south to north is full of dragons, aka cars. So dangerous, even when sober.

Please forgive the unwarranted concern, but I am older than you (egads!) so I am free to give unwarranted advice to comparative whippersnappers.

Next week, Aunty Poetix will be giving dietary advice and knitting tips.

Can you start using a tag called ‘first world problems’ on posts like this?

No, because every story would have to also be similarly tagged. Until someone posts that they don’t know where their next meal is coming from or that they can’t afford to pay for the antibiotics to save their child’s life, then they’re all ‘first world problems’.

He’s a very successful businessman who is generous with his time and money and active in a positive sense in the community he lives in.

I’d say your tawdry insult says more about you than it does about him.

Having said that, Steve’s time would be far better spent getting Coe and Hansen into a room and knocking their heads together to try to drum some maturity and sense into them: their performance with Ross Solly the other morning was an embarrassment when Ross got them onto their backward and non-evidence-based beliefs in relation to climate change.

Julia parked under the stands at the PM’s XI game. Made me wait for 5 mins while the specially trained drivers faffed about parking up as well, which was fun to watch, but meant I was at the end of a much longer queue for my dinner than I had hoped.

Julia parked under the stands at the PM’s XI game. Made me wait for 5 mins while the specially trained drivers faffed about parking up as well, which was fun to watch, but meant I was at the end of a much longer queue for my dinner than I had hoped.

It was, after all, her game. Maybe you could park under the stands too if you put on a game of cricket/footy at the oval.

Now, imagine how long you would have had to wait for your tea if everyone tried to park under the stands.

Imagine if the 80 000 people who attend the NRL grand final or the 100 000 people who go to the AFL grand final wanted to drive 40 000 – 60 000 cars to the game and park outside the ground.

Canberra is no longer a country town. People are just going to have to park a little further away and either walk, ride, bus it, or just cop the fine.

If it was up to me I’d have employed a shed load of tow truck drivers to tow the cars away. That would have made for an interesting specticle when the owners came out at the end of the game. Johnboy could post their reactions to RA. It’d go viral for sure.

Julia parked under the stands at the PM’s XI game. Made me wait for 5 mins while the specially trained drivers faffed about parking up as well, which was fun to watch, but meant I was at the end of a much longer queue for my dinner than I had hoped.

…Imagine if the 80 000 people who attend the NRL grand final or the 100 000 people who go to the AFL grand final wanted to drive 40 000 – 60 000 cars to the game and park outside the ground…

Yes, indeed.

Many moons ago I had a boys own weekend in Melbourne whereby I drove into the big city, parked myself at the MCG for a night game. $5 early bird parking, bonus. My team won, bonus. In my car within a few minutes of leaving the stands, bonus. But it then took about 45 minutes to get out of the car park, haha.

Later that weekend I parked on Fitzroy Street in St Kilda and attended the Grand Prix at Albert Park. I left straight after the race to head back to Canberra and 45 minutes after starting my car I was on the Hume comfortably north of Melbourne’s outer suburbs.

I think traffic management at the MCG could do with some improving, but as I would normally walk or tram it to the ground when in Melbourne I’m quite prepared to suck it up, as you rightly allude.